[RE-wrenches] Refractometer vs Hydrometer?

Sat Feb 13 06:20:00 PST 2010

Dan,

There are benefits and disadvantages to almost everything in this world.

Are you aware that the optical refractometer _automatically_ compensates for temperature, something that I have not seen on any hydrometer?
The amount of electrolyte required with the refractometer is negligible compared to the hydrometer. My Misco refractometer is also calibrated for antifreeze (both ethylene and propylene glycol). The refractometer needs no batteries. 

Hydrometer is less expensive than both refractometer and electrical meter.

If you like the hydrometer so much why are you carrying/using an electrical meter instead of a hydrometer? I give my battery customers a multimeter and let them learn to use it. (This can lead to a sale of an amp -hour meter.) The electrical meter offers the distinct advantage of not having to open up the battery cells, a really big deal with sealed batteries! I believe it was Perez who favored the electrical meter over the hydrometer for the flooded battery contamination issue alone.

I don't believe I am alone in my belief that the desulfator _can_ be beneficial. Unfortunately, these devices seem to attract more than their fair share of snake oil based/trained salespeople.

Respectfully,

Bill Loesch
Solar 1 - Saint Louis Solar

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: dan at foxfire-energy.com 
  To: RE-wrenches 
  Sent: Saturday, February 13, 2010 7:04 AM
  Subject: [RE-wrenches] Refractometer vs Hydrometer?

  I'm confoosed.. . I got a call from an old client complaining that their trace meter was wacky... seems it always read  like 80% or something -- never reset?.. (48V -- 4 strings of UL16 -- 5 years old -- Off Grid). I asked about the last time they equalized, and they proudly reported that they hadn't had to eq. in over a year and a half because "an industry renowned battery guru" they met at a home show advised them that they no longer needed to equalize because their new Desulphators (that he sold them), made equalizing unnecessary.. (One for every two batteries all neatly wire tied to the cables.. blinking LEDs and everything) .. .. and that their specific gravity levels were right on the money (as checked with their new refractometer Mr Battery guy also sold them)..  I asked them to check Batt. hi on the trace meter, and it read  like 57V .. I suggested they equalize with the Gen Set..to 61Volts.. which did make the trace meter reset.. but they never got the bank over 59 Volts.. in over 12 hrs... and the batteries were starting to get hot... so I suggested they shut down, and I planned a trip down.... Got on site, pulled the strings apart, and checked for dead cells.. everything checked out ok... didn't have a hydrometer with me (seems they threw theirs out .. on the advice of Mr. Battery guru).. so I took their word on the refractometer readings... reconnected everything and fired up the gen set... had 80 amp in (measured with a Fluke 337), 13 something on one string, 29 on one, 24 on another and like 14 on the last. (the two lowest were on the outside.. coolest? -- the bank was still kinda warm) ...  I suggested they let the bank cool completely, and try again in a few days... (Maybe even eq each string individually as a last resort). In checking thru the set points, I noticed many were wonky.. so I called tech support folks for the latest.... they told me that the factory defaults for gen start / stop often resulted in "Deficit Cycling".. and that proper settings were actually like 4 Volts higher (For both the 15 min. and the 2 hr start cycles).. they also told me small desulphators were a waste of money, and that refractometers were unreliable at best... now my customer is looking at me for answers... (I'm sending them a good hydrometer).. I'm hoping you folks might set me straight (er).. thanks db 

  Dan Brown
  President
  Foxfire Energy Corp.
  Renewable Energy Systems
  (802)-483-2564
  www.Foxfire-Energy.com
  NABCEP #092907-44

    -------- Original Message --------
    Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] ecoSolargy PV modules
    From: Keith Cronin <electrichi01 at yahoo.com>
    Date: Fri, February 12, 2010 4:25 pm
    To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>

    Bob

    They have contacted me and seem eager to distribute their products.

    Keith

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    From: Bob Clark <bclark at solar-wind.us>
    To: re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
    Sent: Thu, February 11, 2010 5:02:17 PM
    Subject: [RE-wrenches] ecoSolargy PV modules

    RE-Wrenches:

    Does anyone have experience with ecoSolargy PV modules:  http://www.ecosolargy.com/# ?

    Bob Clark
    SolarWind Energy Systems, LLC
    P.O. Box 1234
    Okanogan, WA 98840
    (509) 826-1259

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